255 CHAPTER XXX.

THE SMALL-POX.

Pestilence — Cannibalism — Victoiy — Suleiman sets fire to our camp — The rebel camp burned — Incident at Dem Arbab — Reinforcements arrive — Enemy's escort captured — Want of ammunition — A defeat— Hot firing — My horse wounded — Heavy loss — A great victory — No result — Guerilla warfare — Great mortality — Ammunition exhausted — Famine — The Jelabba beaten at Dem Bekir — Basketsful of heads.

Our loss was heavy, but, thanks to deserters from Suleiman's army, I had still three thousand five hundred fighting men. Our hopes were fixed on Shakka, thence alone could help arrive. All the other paths to the river were closed.

To add to our misfortunes, a terrible pestilence appeared. Small-pox and dysentery carried off many of my people. I separated the sick from the healthy outside the camp, but as I was obliged to allow them to re-enter every time an attack was threatened by the enemy, I could not help contact.

The air was poisoned by the thousands of corpses left in the field, and vultures and hyenas hovered and prowled continually around us.

Of all our troops only the Sandeh and Makrakas remained healthy, owing to the feeding on human flesh. Directly after a battle they cut off the feet of the dead as the most exquisite dainties, opened the skulls and preserved the brains in pots.

January 28th. — I was advised of the approach of an escort with ammunition, and was about to send